Auto Windscreens in administration

Auto Windscreens has gone into administration, placing more than 1,000 jobs at risk

Around 1,100 jobs are under threat after the UK's second largest windscreen repair and replacement firm collapsed into administration.

Auto Windscreens called in administrators Deloitte after suffering trading and cash-flow woes.

The majority of staff employed by the Chesterfield-based group have already been sent home while Deloitte holds "urgent" discussions to try to secure the future of the firm.

Deloitte said no redundancies had been made, but added it had asked employees to stop working as it was unable to continue trading the firm until financing is in place.

It has approached major customers in the hope of drumming up enough funding to be able to trade the company until it finds a buyer.

Auto Windscreens operates a network of 68 fitting centres across the UK, 550 mobile units, a distribution centre in Aston, Birmingham, and a central call centre. The company has an annual turnover of around £63 million.

Deloitte said Auto Windscreens had been leading a recovery plan, but was hit by delays in implementing IT systems, coupled with lower-than-expected revenues in the final quarter of 2010, which led to cash flow pressures.

The group had been holding talks with a number of parties to secure funding, but was dealt a final blow when one of its major customers ended its contract and as it received a winding up petition from a large creditor.

Matt Cowlishaw, partner in Deloitte's reorganisation services team in the Midlands, said: "It is extremely disappointing to see such a well-known business enter administration. The company worked extremely hard to try and recapitalise the business, but unfortunately this could not be achieved in the time available.

"We are now in urgent discussions with the key stakeholders and interested parties in an attempt to save the business. We have provided the employees with full briefings and have set up a dedicated employee hotline to help them understand their position."